Need a boost this holiday season?

News-Times, The (Danbury, CT)

Published 7:00 pm, Monday, November 26, 2007

How about if, instead of swallowing a pill, you had to chew 10 or so bites?

Shoppers looking for some energy this holiday season -- without the accompanying crash caffeine and sugary foodstuffs bring -- should first make a stop in the produce section of any food store, according to nutritional experts.

While some studies have found health benefits in caffeine, when used as an energy boost, "It's, in essence, acting as a drug," said Dr. David Katz, director of the Yale-Griffin Prevention Research Center.

Katz is a specialist in integrative, internal and preventive medicine. By drinking coffee for energy, he said, "You've just masked over the fact you're tired."

Simple sugars, such as sodas and products made with white sugar and flour, are "energy drainers," said Laurie Jordan, Bridgeport Hospital's chief clinical dietician and director of the Nutrition and Wellness Center.

The key, Gray, Jordan and Katz said, is to consume food that will take your body time to digest, because this means it will release the energy over a longer period of time.

"The body's primary fuel is glucose," Katz said.

Glucose is sugar, and sugar comes from carbohydrates. But the complex carbohydrates in fresh or dried fruits and vegetables are high in fiber as well as sugar. The fiber slows the release of the sugar.

"You don't get a peak and a crash," Katz said.

Jordan attributes the roller coaster ride many people put their bodies on to a lack of sleep.

"People use food as a way to keep themselves awake," she said, instead of getting the seven hours of "good-quality sleep" medicine recommends.

Eating several small meals a day is better than one big meal, Gray said, because it helps maintain the energy level.

Whole grains are another good source of fiber, but Katz and Gray warned against falling for semantic traps.

There are three parts to whole grains, which come from the seed pods of certain plants: the germ, the endosperm and the bran, or hull.

The latter, Katz said, contains the fiber and healthy oils and is often stripped off to make foods. It's the endosperm that is usually processed, which has fewer vitamins and no healthy oils.

If the package says "made from whole grains," then all the grain is used; "made with whole grains" leaves wiggle room, he said. Read the label before buying the product, he cautioned, because "In some instances, the first ingredient is sugar."

Refined carbohydrates -- such as white bread -- cause the body's blood sugar, and energy level, to rise rapidly. The body releases insulin to bring it back to normal, which also happens rapidly. This, Katz said, tends to trigger a recurrent cycle of hunger, so not only do you crash, but you'll feel like eating again sooner.

The Glycemic Index ranks carbohydrates based on their effect on blood sugar; products like many breads and rice are ranked high because of their impact, according to WebMD, while whole grains, legumes and fruits and vegetables have a low impact.

A carbohydrate like an apple is the best immediate source of energy, Katz said. You'll feel the effect about 30 minutes after eating it and the resulting energy burst should last three to four hours.

By comparison, an eight-ounce cup of coffee -- a Dunkin' Donuts large size is 20 ounces -- will hit your system in about 20 minutes but the appreciable effects last for only two hours or so.

The recommended "daily upper" intake of caffeine, Katz added, is about 400 milligrams a day; an eight-ounce cup of coffee has between 80 and 100 milligrams.

If you're going to have coffee, Jordan said, stick with the basics. A latte adds about 100 calories to your beverage choice; drinks with the flavored syrup can have 300 calories.

Caffeine, Gray said, blocks adenosine, which would otherwise interfere with the energy boost. She called the effects an "irritated form of energy," and compared it to kicking a dog that's lying down.

Gray recommends skipping the coffee entirely and moving onto green tea, the components of which can provide energy without the stimulant of caffeine.

But a better beverage, she said, is plain old water.

"A big amount of fatigue is just basic dehydration," Gray said.

Some liquids, however, can hurt the body, Jordan said.

Most energy drinks have some form of simple sugar in them; she suggests a flavored plain or sparkling water instead.

Many juices are made with high-fructose corn syrup or some other additive, she said, but another problem comes because "most Americans don't understand portions."

Drinking a half-cup of juice, she said, is the equivalent of eating one medium-sized orange, but without the fiber.

The best solution, Jordan said, is to "Eat your fruit."

But for shoppers who need a treat, Katz said, a doughnut isn't going to undo a year's worth of good work.

"If you ate well most of the time, the things you did vary occasionally wouldn't get you into trouble," Katz said.

Pam Dawkins, YourMoney editor, can be reached by e-mail at pdawkins@ctpost.com or (203) 330-6351.

Nutritional facts

--The best energy is what is sustained and stable over a period of time. Foods like fresh and dried fruits, vegetables and whole grains can achieve this.

--Coffee and sugary substances such as pastry, many cereals and white bread might give you a short-term boost, but that wears off and is followed by a crash.

--An apple, for instance, takes about 30 minutes to provide an energy boost which will last up to four hours without a crash at the end.

--You'll feel the effects from an eight-ounce cup of coffee in about 20 minutes, but those will burn out in two hours.